subject: Recovering data from Windows Vista after making it a dual-boot system [print this page] Recovering data from Windows Vista after making it a dual-boot system
I believe most of you, like me, upgraded to Windows Vista when it was launched as it promised better performance and reliability along with better graphic experience. However, people soon realized that it is unable to match the robustness and support for hardware and software that Windows XP provides. Because of this, some of us opted for dual-boot systems.
However, at times you are not able to access Windows Vista when you make it a dual-boot system. In such situations, you should use appropriate measures to resolve the issue. If you are unable to address the situation then you should use a third-party windows data recovery software to do so.
Consider a scenario wherein you have Windows Vista in your computer system. Now, you install Windows XP so as to make it a dual-boot system. However, when you start the system you are not able to boot the Windows Vista and only Windows XP is starting.
Cause:
The root cause of this erroneous situation is that the prior versions Windows than Vista are incompatible with the new Windows Vista startup method. In Windows Vista and later versions, a new Boot Configuration Database (BCD) store is used to boot the operating system .This is why, unlike Windows XP, the Boot.ini file cannot be used to start Windows Vista.
Resolution:
To resolve this problem, you should perform the following steps:
Use the Bootsect.exe tool to restore the Windows Vista MBR (Master Boot Record) as well as the boot code that transfers control to the Windows Boot Manager program. To do this, you should use the following command:
prompt:Drive:ootBootsect.exe /NT60 All
Use the Bcdedit.exe tool to create an entry in the BCD Boot.ini file for Windows XP. To do this, you should use the following commands:
Drive:Windowssystem32Bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d "Description for earlier Windows version"
The aforementioned method should be able to resolve the issue. However, if it is not so then you should use a third-party Windows data recovery software to recover Windows files. Such read-only tools are able to recover windows data using fast yet sophisticated scanning algorithms.
Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is a Windows data recovery software that recovers lost, deleted, or formatted data from both FAT- and NTFS-based file systems. It is able to recover more than 185 different file types from various storage media such as hard drives, pen drives, iPods, etc. In addition, this Windows data recovery tool is able to recover deleted emails from Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook. It is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, and Server 2000. In addition, this tool is packaged with a Boot CD that is very helpful when you are not able to boot the system.
